Apparatus and method for centralized application notifications

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for centralized notification management in a mobile terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a communication unit for receiving notification data from an external device, at least one application, each application having a notification function for notifying a user when corresponding notification data is received, a display unit, a notification management unit for generating a user interface for managing the notifications of the at least one application, and for generating notification settings for each of the at least application settings, according to user input, a storage unit for storing the notification settings generated by the notification management unit, and a controller for controlling the display unit to display the user interface generated by the notification management unit and for controlling the mobile terminal to generate a notification in response to receiving the notification data, the notification generated according to the stored notification settings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile terminal, comprising:
 a communication unit for receiving notification data from an external device;   at least one application, each application having a notification function for notifying a user when corresponding notification data is received;   a display unit;   a notification management unit for generating a user interface for managing the notifications of the at least one application, and for generating notification settings for each of the at least application settings, according to user input;   a storage unit for storing the notification settings generated by the notification management unit; and   a controller for controlling the display unit to display the user interface generated by the notification management unit and for controlling the mobile terminal to generate a notification in response to receiving the notification data, the notification generated according to the stored notification settings.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one notification mechanism, which, when operated according to the control of the controller, presents the notification to the user. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile terminal of  claim 2 , wherein the notification mechanism comprises at least one of:
 a speaker for generating an alarm notification;   at least one indicator light; and   a vibration device for vibrating the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         4 . The mobile terminal of  claim 2 , wherein the notification mechanism comprises at least one of:
 an icon displayed on the display unit; and   a pop-up window displayed on the display unit.   
     
     
         5 . The mobile terminal of  claim 2 , wherein the notification management unit generates a plurality of screens for display on the display unit, each screen corresponding to a notification mechanism, and each screen having a plurality of settings, each of the plurality of settings corresponding to one of the at least one application. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile terminal of  claim 2 , wherein the notification management unit generates a notification importance screen to be displayed on the display unit, the notification importance screen having an importance setting for each of the at least one application, the importance setting being changeable by the user. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the controller controls the notification mechanism according to the importance setting corresponding to the application associated with the notification. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the notification management unit generates a notification importance screen to be displayed on the display unit, the notification importance screen having an importance setting for each of the at least one application, the importance setting being changeable by the user. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the controller controls the mobile terminal to generate the notification according to the importance setting corresponding to the application associated with the notification. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein, after the notification is generated, the notification management unit records information about the notification and the user's response to the notification. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile terminal of  claim 10 , wherein the information about the notification includes at least one of the application associated with the notification, a time when the notification was generated, and a location of the mobile terminal when the notification was generated, and
 wherein the information about the user's response to the notification includes whether the user dismissed the notification without executing the application associated with the notification, a location of the mobile terminal when the user responded to the notification, a time when the user responded to the notification, and an amount of time elapsed between the generation of the notification and the user's response.   
     
     
         12 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the notification management unit generates a plurality of profiles according to the user's input, each of the plurality of profiles having notification settings for the at least one application. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the notification management unit sets the notification settings of the at least one application according to one of the stored profiles in response to a response condition set by the user. 
     
     
         14 . A method of adjusting notification settings in a mobile terminal according to context, the method comprising:
 generating a notification in the mobile terminal according to stored notification settings, in response to receiving notification data from an external device;   waiting for a user of the mobile terminal to respond to the notification;   when the user responds to the notification or fails to respond after a predetermined period, recording information about the notification and the user's response thereto; and   adjusting the stored notification settings according to the recorded information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the recorded information comprises at least one of:
 a time when the notification was generated;   a location of the mobile terminal when the notification was generated;   whether the user responded to the notification within the predetermined time;   how the user responded to the notification;   a time when the user responded to the notification; and   a location of the mobile terminal when the user responded to the notification.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the generating of the notification comprises at least one of:
 outputting an alarm via speakers of the mobile terminal;   vibrating the mobile terminal;   activating one or more indicator lights of the mobile terminal;   displaying an icon in a status bar of a user interface displayed on the mobile terminal; and   displaying a pop-up window.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the adjusting of the notification settings comprises at least one of:
 adjusting a volume of the alarm;   adjusting a strength of the vibration;   adjusting whether the indicator lights are displayed; and   adjusting the display of an icon or a pop-up window.